I watched at a friend's macbook c/o another friend's season subscription the 2009 Australian Finals yesterday where world no. 1 Rafael Nadal beat world no. 2 Roger Federer in five-set thriller 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2.
What Rafael Nadal has achieved after defeating Roger Federer in the Australian Open finals:
• Rafa became the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open;
• He became the 4th player to win Grand Slam in three different surfaces (grass, clay and hard court), joining Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander and Andre Agassi. By winning on this surface, a win in the U.S. Open would give Rafa a Career Grand Slam, something which tennis greats Pete Sampras and Federer failed to do as both haven’t won at the Roland Garros yet;
• Rafa collected his sixth Grand Slam (4 French Open, 1 Wimbledon and 1 Australian Open);
• Every time Nadal plays Federer since last year, Nadal wins all the matches. Rafa beat Federer 5 consecutive times (3 times at a Grand Slam, with the other 2 coming from last year’s French Open and Wimbledon finals). Roger’s other 2 losses last year to Nadal were at Monte Carlo and Hamburg Masters. Nadal now has the winningest record against Federer at 13-6.
Caveat:
Rafa is still young and at his prime at 22 years old; Roger is 27. Rafa won his first Grand Slam when he was 19 years old (2005 French Open). On the other hand, Roger captured his maiden slam when he was 22 (2003 Wimbledon). Say let’s give 5 more years to Rafa (assuming he stays healthy throughout) when he will have turned same age of Federer now, 27, and if he collects:
• Maximum of 3 slams a year: that is a total of 15 plus his 6 now equals 21 slams.
• 2 slams a year: that is a total of 10 plus his 6 now equals 16 slams.
• Conservative estimate of 1 slam a year which is Roland Garros: that is a total of 5 plus 6 slams equals 11.
But the above does not include this year’s remaining Slams: (French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. If Rafa wins 2 more slams this year, he’d amass 23 (if he wins maximum of 3 slams per year for a 5-yr period), 18 (if he wins 2 slams per year for a 5-yr period), and 13 (by winning 1 slam per year for a 5-yr period).
Thus, expect Nadal to amass a total of 13 to 23 slams in a 5-yr period plus this year!
• He became the 4th player to win Grand Slam in three different surfaces (grass, clay and hard court), joining Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander and Andre Agassi. By winning on this surface, a win in the U.S. Open would give Rafa a Career Grand Slam, something which tennis greats Pete Sampras and Federer failed to do as both haven’t won at the Roland Garros yet;
• Rafa collected his sixth Grand Slam (4 French Open, 1 Wimbledon and 1 Australian Open);
• Every time Nadal plays Federer since last year, Nadal wins all the matches. Rafa beat Federer 5 consecutive times (3 times at a Grand Slam, with the other 2 coming from last year’s French Open and Wimbledon finals). Roger’s other 2 losses last year to Nadal were at Monte Carlo and Hamburg Masters. Nadal now has the winningest record against Federer at 13-6.
Caveat:
Rafa is still young and at his prime at 22 years old; Roger is 27. Rafa won his first Grand Slam when he was 19 years old (2005 French Open). On the other hand, Roger captured his maiden slam when he was 22 (2003 Wimbledon). Say let’s give 5 more years to Rafa (assuming he stays healthy throughout) when he will have turned same age of Federer now, 27, and if he collects:
• Maximum of 3 slams a year: that is a total of 15 plus his 6 now equals 21 slams.
• 2 slams a year: that is a total of 10 plus his 6 now equals 16 slams.
• Conservative estimate of 1 slam a year which is Roland Garros: that is a total of 5 plus 6 slams equals 11.
But the above does not include this year’s remaining Slams: (French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. If Rafa wins 2 more slams this year, he’d amass 23 (if he wins maximum of 3 slams per year for a 5-yr period), 18 (if he wins 2 slams per year for a 5-yr period), and 13 (by winning 1 slam per year for a 5-yr period).
Thus, expect Nadal to amass a total of 13 to 23 slams in a 5-yr period plus this year!
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